This weekend, the NFL and Madden combine real sports and virtual gaming in a first-of-its-kind immersive experience.
Peacock, EA Sports, and Genius Sports will host the event Madden NFL team During the Houston Texans-Kansas City Chiefs game on Saturday, December 21 at 12 noon ET, blending traditional live football coverage with video game elements.
Announced during halftime of Thursday's Miami Dolphins-Green Bay Packers game, the third in the NFL's “John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration,” the data-powered live football experience will use Genius Sports' next-generation data and artificial intelligence platform GeniusIQ to combine real games. Time data insights with fully branded animations, providing an immersive viewing experience.
It airs exclusively on Peacock Madden NFL team It will feature a dedicated commentary team with NBC Sports' Paul Burmeister handling the play-by-play; Former NFL quarterback, YouTuber and Madden NFL expert Kurt Pinkert uses graphic overlays to discuss and predict play options; And six-time Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl receiver Chad Ochocinco serves as a real-time player “evaluations officer.” Also joining the production will be Madden NFL professional player Henry Leverette, who won the Ultimate Madden Bowl championship ring in February and is the first player in Madden NFL Championship Series history to reach $1 million in career earnings.
“We are excited to work with the NFL, EA SPORTS and Genius Sports to provide fans with the ability to watch Madden NFL come to life like never before exclusively on Peacock, which has established itself as a home for premium live sports and innovative viewing experiences,” said NBC Sports Executive Producer for the NFL Fred Gaudelli. The first-ever Madden NFL team marks a new milestone as Peacock's first alternative sports team. Not only do the Texans and Chiefs rank first in their divisions, but they also have star players at multiple positions whose avatars will help us analyze the game's biggest plays through the lens of Madden NFL 25. It has long been a point of pride for John and the Madden family to Their video game has helped generations of fans and players learn and enjoy football, and we are thrilled to continue that tradition.
